They say the things that captivate us when we are young often dictate (or ought to drive) our path in life. . I know this much: when I was ten years old I wanted to go everywhere, do everything and meet everyone. . I thought I wanted to be a travel agent, and then a foreign service officer or diplomat. I wanted to speak every language (my mother claims that was so that I wouldn’t possibly encounter someone I would be unable to talk to) and see all the things. In 1987, we were living in ... View Post
The Biggest Small Town in Arkansas
The charming town of Piggott (population 3,774) sits on the edge of Crowley's Ridge looking eastward toward the Delta, and it's surrounded on three sides by Missouri. Happily for Arkansas, though, it's all ours. When my pal and I made off far too late one evening in an easterly direction toward Piggott for a writers' retreat at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center last spring, we had no idea the journey would take us two hours longer than we planned (be forewarned and ... View Post
Tackling Texas
Our last family vacation was a road trip from northwest Arkansas to Galveston, Texas for a family reunion. Along the way we spent several days in Houston, which is a fun and very affordable city with lots of family-friendly sights and activities. Here are some highlights from our adventures: After staying the night in my Dad's childhood home in Texarkana (I've written extensively in the past about our treks up and down Highway 71 between the far northwest and southwest corners of ... View Post
Food Feasts Around the World
So, it's no secret that I love food, travel and learning about foodie culture around the world. Did you catch the series on Northern Indian Food earlier this year thanks to hours in the kitchen of my friend Srividya? I've also always been riveted by Jewish foods and their deep symbolism, and am on a mission to master latkes, but that's for another day. One of my favorite discoveries this year is a program called Little Passports, which I enthusiastically endorse (and serve as ... View Post
Reel to Reel
I beg, and they put me off for weeks but finally acquiesce. Dad digs out the projector and the boxes of slides in one Kodak box after another. Mom has me climb the step stool to reach up into the crevasses of the highest kitchen storage cabinet to fetch the old green monster for making homemade malts. She pops the popcorn on the stovetop into big metal bowls and we each receive a thick kitchen dish towel as a heavy-duty napkin. (No wonder, then, that I nearly swoon when my husband pops ... View Post
